A witness testifying before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry under a pseudonym for security reasons says he knew organised crime accused Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala as an informant who provided tip-offs on successful operations. Matlala now faces several serious criminal charges alongside senior police officers.

A police witness has told the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry that he knew Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala as an informant and only later heard allegations that he was using the police service to "eliminate his rivals".

The witness testified under the pseudonym Witness I on Tuesday, 9 June 2026.

He did so via audio only, in keeping with a ruling to protect his identity for security reasons.

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Witness I, who used to be a member of the now-defunct crime investigation unit the Scorpions, and who was also part of the South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau and involved in various drug investigations, said he knew Matlala from police work.

Matlala is now at the centre of South Africa's law enforcement scandal, hinged on accusations that a drug cartel has infiltrated the criminal justice sector.

He has been accused of being part of that cartel and of corrupting various police officers.

Matlala 'the informer' and John Wick

"I know Vusi Matlala as he was an informer that assisted [the Tactical Operations Management Section] TOMS with tip-offs regarding several successful operations," Witness I said, reading from a statement prepared for the Madlanga Commission.

"The tip-offs came through Captain Felani Zungu who worked at TOMS,...